Raptor Pilot to Lead USAF Thunderbirds

The USAF Thunderbirds' list of officer selections for the 2010 demonstration season includes, for the first time, an F-22 pilot. Lt. Col. Case Cunningham, currently director of operations for the 43rd Fighter Squadron, a Raptor training unit at Tyndall AFB, has been chosen to lead the elite team next year.

Here are the new officers:

Lt. Col. Case Cunningham, serving at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., will join the team as the 33rd Commander/Leader of the "Ambassadors in Blue."

Capt. Chad Shenk, stationed at Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C., will serve as the Right Wing for the squadron as Thunderbird No. 3.

Capt. Paul Jelinek, stationed at Luke AFB, Ariz., will take over as the Opposing Solo, Thunderbird No. 6.

Maj. John Gallemore, serving at Hill AFB, Utah, will join the team as the Advance Pilot/Narrator, Thunderbird No. 8.

Capt. Thomas Bowden, currently stationed at Little Rock AFB, Ark., will become the new Flight Surgeon, as Thunderbird No. 9.


Source: Thunderbirds announce 2010 officer selections

Photos of the 2010 Thunderbird Officers.

Maj John "Nuke" Gallemore is now the Right Wing, after originally being selected as the the incoming Advance Pilot/Narrator. Not sure what happened to Capt Chad "Shank" Shenk, who was initially announced as the team's new Right Wing. The #8 position is not yet filled on the website either...

#8 spot filled

Capt. Kristin Hubbard will join the team as the Advance Pilot/Narrator, Thunderbird No. 8.

Should have known the Thunderbirds were still on another season of "firsts": First female pilot, first female solo pilot, first black solo pilot, first ANG & reserve pilot, and now the first female AP/N.

Wonder what happened to Shank? (I'm sure Blaze will tell us shortly).

It'll be interesting to hear a military jet team with a female narrator!

Lawndart wrote:Wonder what happened to Shank? (I'm sure Blaze will tell us shortly).

Trying to get something out of them.